Unless
by TruRebellion
Summary: Cutting trees, breaking promises, losing yourself. Those are all things the Once-ler has done and not been proud of. But he still had someone to watch and comfort him through all that. One-Shot Once-ler x OC


**This is an one-shot, so I will probably write other one-shots to go with this one before I write a story. I don't own The Lorax! All the cred goes to Dr. Seuss! I only own my OC, Melissa!**

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She bent down and picked up the youngest bar-ba-loot, Berries, from under the ax she had placed on top of him and placed him on her shoulders, her eyes still locked on the man in front of her. He was handsome, with his black hair that complimented his gray-blue eyes and pale skin.

"Lorax, can you get this over with?" The Lorax, an orange ball of fluff with a yellow mustache, waved her off causing her to sigh in annoyance. "Punishing someone for destroying a tree takes a lot longer than just saying 'don't do that', Melissa!"

Melissa shook her head, the Lorax treated the forest like his child and if you messed with his child, he could be harsh about it. He got off of the tree he was on and started to pull wooden stumps-pegs-from the ground, causing the man to hammering them back in place to keep the tent from falling.

He then went to hammer a bar-ba-loot, Pipsqueak, into the ground causing the Lorax and Melissa to yell. She picked up Pipsqueak and held him in her arms. "You would harm one of nature's innocence creatures?!" The man shook his head, quickly before looking at the Pipsqueak.

"No, I would never do that!" He pointed his hammer at the orange ball of fluff. "But you, I would gladly hammer!" She groaned, he had just got the Lorax started.

He walked up to his door and walked in before blowing a raspberry at the Lorax, slamming the door when finished. She turned, knowing the Lorax was warning him of the forces of nature.

XXXXX

As the days carried on, the man, who Melissa realized was named Once-ler, and she become good friends and even shared a kiss. Then his family came to the valley.

Pipsqueak was on her shoulders, after the waterfall incident, he had decided to stay by Once-ler's and hers side. They watched as the giant truck unfolded into an even bigger house. She growled at the bent trees and made hand motions.

"Why the hell do you need a pool? There's a damn river right there!" She walked forward to the family while Once-ler wrapped an arm around her waist, holding her back. The Lorax raised an eyebrow at the motion but pointed a finger at their truck. "Wait! Stop! Don't move an inch! You need to get out of here, goodbye!"

An old, round women snickered. "So who invited the big, furry peanut?" The Lorax pointed at himself. "You calling me a peanut?! I'll go right up your nose!" The women gave her bag to the short man that had hugged Once-ler, probably his uncle, and walked menacing up to the speaker of the trees.

"You wouldn't hit a woman!" Once-ler still had an arm around her, a panicked look on his face. Melissa laughed at the Lorax's surprised face. "That's a woman?!" Once-ler put a hand on the Lorax's shoulders causing him to let go of Melissa. "Everyone cool it! Family, these are my friends-"

The Lorax interrupted. "Acquaintance!" The Once-ler rolled his eyes. "Friend and acquaintance, the Lorax and Melissa, they speak for the trees."

The speaker of trees nodded their heads in unison. "Yeah, and on behalf on the trees-" They both yelled in unison. "GET OUT!" The family gasped while the Once-ler picked the Lorax and grabbed Melissa's arm. "Be nice! This my family and I'm going to need their help if my company's going to get bigger, okay?"

Melissa crossed her arms, both eyebrows raised. "Bigger?" He nodded, a smile on his face while the two speakers looked at each other. Melissa pulled Pipsqueak off her shoulders and pushed him the in direction of the other bar-ba-loots.

"Yeah, this isn't some rinky-dink operation anymore! I got plans! Big plans! A vision with a world full of thneeds! It's gonna be huge!"

Melissa pulled her golden blonde hair from her emerald green eyes. "Which way does a tree fall?" Once-ler clenched his eyebrows in confusion. "Um, down?" The Lorax shook his head and answered the question for him. "A tree falls the way it leans..." He turned. "Be careful where you lean."

The Lorax left, leaving Once-ler and Melissa alone. "Remember, I'm here for you. Don't be afraid to ask me anything." She smiled and started to leave but he grabbed her arm and pulled her back. "Then I don't mind asking if you'll be my girlfriend."

Her face brightened her smile turning into a full-blown grin. "Of course!" She leaned in and kissed his cheek before walking towards the river, where she knew Pipsqueak was.

XXXXX

Berries was placed on her shoulders again, Lou next to her, and Pipsqueak in her arms, the bar-ba-loots talking to each other. It has been three weeks since Once-ler's family came to Truffula Valley, and the Lorax and her still haven't warmed up to them.

She shook her head and looked at Lou, who had marshmallow in his palm. "Do you think he'll break his promise?" Lou nodded, not really giving Melissa much comfort. "Well, if you think he will, I'll go talk to him!"

She dropped Pipsqueak and pulled Berries off her and then proceeded to walked up to his house, just in time to hear Once-ler say. "It wouldn't hurt to cut down a few trees." Melissa went into the forest to see Brett and Chet running around, cutting trees without effort. "What are you doing?" Her voice tight with fury.

The two boys ignored her and continued to chop trees." _15, 16, 17... This is a few?! _She sighed and went to Once-ler's house sad widened the door, her fury exposed on her face. She wouldn't shout at him, as much as she wanted too. She would keep as little emotion as possible in her voice so he would feel guilty without her making him.

XXXXX

Not even fully three months from the day he broke his promise did 90% of the trees disappear. The air was thicker, the water polluted, and the clouds and sky were a horrible gray color.

Melissa wore a black skirt, green blouse, and green heels. It seemed like most of her room and wardrobe was now green, the color of money. She never would have thought that when she looked into a mirror, she would flinch at her own eyes.

She got up, her blonde hair in a tight bun, and walked to the dining room. _Five million thneeds sold... _She sat down next to Once-ler, who wad at the head of the table wearing a green jacket, gloves, and tie, a ridiculous top hat on his head, paired with even more ridiculous sunglasses.

His mother, Isabella, who was sitting across from her, raised a glass. "To my Oncie, for selling five million thneeds!" The table raised a glass but Melissa, who was looking outside, not paying attention. The Once-ler snaked a under the table to poke her side, causing her to flinch.

"Oh, cheers." Her voice was deflated, like she was in pain. Isabella frowned. "Can't you at least pretend to be happy?!"

Melissa stood up, anger bubbling in her. "Oh, I'm sorry, I don't have enough sugary sweetness to please you." She tossed the glass of champagne over her shoulder, the glass breaking on impact, causing a gold liquid to spread on the floor. "I'm sorry if I don't have enough in me to pretend to be the perfect daughter, the perfect niece, the perfect sister!" She whispered the last part so that only Once-ler heard. "The perfect girlfriend."

She shook her head. "I can't pretend to be happy for Once-ler because I don't want to lie and tell him I'm proud. Telling the truth is what I do to show someone I love them. But for this man..." She pointed at Once, who had a look of surprise while she had a look of disgust. "I don't even know him."

Melissa sat down, her face now blank, looking at Isabella. "So no, Isabella, I can't pretend that I'm happy to see a whole valley that _was_ full of trees be destroyed." The people at th table stared in shock at her, who continued eating like nothing happened.

That's when they all noticed that she had bags under her eyes, wrinkles were forming on her forehead, and she was pale.

The Once-ler took off his shades exposing his, grey-blue eyes, which were blank. "Can Melissa and I be excused from the table?" His family nodded, their glazes still locked on Melissa. He grabbed her arm gently and pulled her out of the seat.

He took her out in the hall, pulling her to his bedroom. Once they were in his bedroom, he turned to her, a hurt look painted on his face. "Did you mean that?"

She sat down, a frown on her face. "I meant every word." She then stood up and took off his gloves and hat. "I don't see that often and when I did it's at dinner or you're counting money, not paying any mind to me! Do you know how it feels to know the person you're in love with is physically here but mentally too far away for you to pull them back?"

She placed the items on the dresser behind and when she turned back around the Once-ler placed a warm hand on her cheek. "Love..." He looked off, his eyes glazed over.

"That's a word I don't hear often." She pulled him closer by his coat. "If you stop cutting down trees, you'll be able to hear it everyday with me." She was pleading him to stop, her voice showing that she was holding back tears.

He looked off. "I can't stop now, I'm too deep in..." She tugged off his jacket as he took her hair down from it's bun. "You're not too deep in. You have the money to fix what money caused." She laced her fingers through his, his jacket falling from her hand.

He shook his head. "It'll never fix what I created. There will always be some problem, like the air. It'll take too long to grow the trees." He was trying to convince himself against, that was obvious. She kicked off her heels and started to undo his tie, when it was done she threw it over her shoulder before going to unbutton his shirt.

"Can you just kiss me?" He did as she asked and brung his lips down on hers, bunching her up in his arms. Between kisses she spoke. "I missed you, Once." They split apart and Once-ler took off her blouse and she slipped off his shirt, exposing his chest. "You know, I love you. You're my world, I wouldn't be able to survive without you."

Melissa smiled. "I love you, too. I have every since I laid my eyes on you arguing with the Lorax." He pulled her back into a kiss, this time carrying her to his large bed.

XXXXX

The last tree was cut. The side of it falling seemed to be amplified. Melissa touched it lightly, tears running down her face as she realized Once-ler was right, he was too far in. She and the Lorax failed. All machines halted the only sound was coming from the factory.

She picked up Berries and Pipsqueak, it was over. There was nothing here for them. But for Melissa it was different. Her whole life was here, Once-ler was here...

Her hair was in a ponytail, the edges tickling her neck as did the fur of the youngest and smallest bar-ba-loots. Melissa walked with them, she was now in charge of making sure they got where they needed. The Once-ler was in the center of the flow of animals, watching Melvin walk away.

He saw Pipsqueak and held out a marshmallow for him. Pipsqueak turned around with a shake and then his eyes locked on yours. He rushed to her, a frown on his face. "You're leaving?"

Melissa nodded. "The animals are my responsibility, I have to make sure they find a new home." She leaned in and connected their lips in a kiss. She pulled away, her hands on his shoulders. "But I'll be back." She gave him a quick hug before picking up on of the humming fish that was tugging on her skirt.

He watched her leave before turning around and heading to the factory. He opened his hand to find a seed placed in it. He looked at it in slight shock and remember feeling Melissa's hand slip in his. "Thank you."


End file.
